Slide for automatic extensible tables



2 Sheets-Sheet l J. COOPER Filed Aug. 30, 1928 SLIDE FOR AUTOMATICEXTENSIBLE TABLES Oct. 14, 1930,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1930.

J. cooPE 1,778,418

v SLIDE FOR AUTOMATIC EXTENSIBLE TABLES Filed Aug. 30, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 B2, INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITEDSTATES JOSEPH COOPER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLIDE FOR AUTOMATIC EKTENSIBIJE TABLES Application filed August 30,1928.

The object of the present invention is to provide a slide constructionfor automatic extensible tables of that type comprising a centre leaf,which I have hereinafter termed the table top and one or more outerleaves which are adapted to be moved under the table top. The table topis vertically movable only, whereas the outer leaves are horizontallymovable. The outer leaves are mounted on slides and each slide isprovided with a pin or other contact member which at the proper timecomes into engagement with an endwise movable and swinging lever whichserves to lift the table top preliminary to a movement of the outerleaves to a position under the table top in order that the table may beclosed.

The weight of the table top is not thrown directly upon the under leavesbut upon supporting feet, so that the movement of the outer leaves fromclosed position to open position is not resisted by the weight of thetop, and recesses are formed in the slides to give clearance for saidsupports when the top drops into the position required when the table isto be in extended relationship.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a tableconstructed in accordance with the invention, the legs being omitted,and the table being shown closed;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the table in fully extended positionpreliminary to moving the outer leaves inwardly and the top downwardlyto extended position for use;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the table extended for use;

0 Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the table in the positionshown in Fig. 1 illustrating in dotted lines the various positions ofthe table top and the swinging endwise movable lever;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 4, looking in thedirection of the arrows, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a slide assembly embodyingthe invention, and

Serial No. 302,938.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the endwise movable swinginglevers.

It will be understood that two or more of the slide assemblies will beemployed for each table. Each slide assembly comprises a centre member 1which is adapted to support the table top 2. In the present instance thetable top 2 is connected to the member 1 by means of a plurality ofstuds 3 which project into vertical openings 4 formed in said centremember and which are fixed to the table top. By such means the table topmay have a vertical movement but is held against horizontal movement.

At each side of slide member 1 is an endwise movable slide, these slidesbeing numbered 4 and 5. Slide 4 has fixed thereto end leaf 6 and slide 5has fixed thereto end leaf 7 As customary, slides 4 and 5 will have atongue and groove connection with the centre slide member 1. The tabletop is provided with a plurality of feet 8 which rest upon the slides 4and 5 when the table is closed and in this manner the outer leaves arerelieved from the pressure of the table top so that they may be readilymoved outwardly with the slides 4 and 5 until the feet fall intorecesses 9 formed in the slides. At this point of the outer leafmovement they will have moved beyond the table top, and the drop of thetop by the means aforesaid will bring it to the same plane as that ofthe outer leaves. The outer leaves may then be moved inwardly intocontact with the top and the parts will assume the position shown inFig. 3.

The movement of one outer leaf will impart equivalent movement to thesecond outer leaf. This follows inasmuch as slides 4 and 5 are connectedat their base portions with rack and pinion devices a, b, 0. v

In closing the table an outward movement of one of the leaves, as forexample leaf 7, will cause a pin 10 carried by its slide 5 to engage theswinging endwise movable lever 11, and in the complete outward movementof said leaf 7 from its position shown in Fig. 3 pin 10 will move lever11 to its vertical position as shown in dotted lines at A in Fig. 2. Thethus described movement of leaf 7 with the slide 5 will, through therack and pinion devices above described, impart a similar movement toleaf 6 with its slide a.

Slide 4 carries a pin 12 and that pin will engage a swinging endwisemovable lever 13, the complete outward movement of slide 4 causing thepin to move'the lever to the vertical position A shown in dotted lines,Fig. 2. The table top will thus have been moved upwardly to the dottedline position B, Fig. 2, and will be held in said upward 7 position bythe levers 11, 13. The said dotted line position of table top is aboy ethe path of movement of the leaves 6 and 7, and these leaves may bemoved inwardly until their inner edges contact with the levers and causethem to drop to the position shown in Fig. 1. In said inward movement ofthe leaves and their slides, prior to the dropping of thelevers,thesli'des wil be carried under feet 8 so that when table topdrops from the dotted line position b, Fig. 2, its weight will be thrownupon the slides through the medium of the feet, and there will be nomarring of the table leaves 6 and 7 It will be understood that the feetmay be so designed as to hold the table top a slight distance aboveleaves G and 7.

The swinging endwise movable, levers are illustrated in detail in Fig.7. Each lever consists of a bar bifurcated at its top and carrying ananti-friction roller 14. The lever is also bifurcated at its lower endto embrace a cam plate 15, an anti-friction roller 16 being provided toride upon the upper cam surface of the plate. Each slide member 1 forthe table will be provided with two cam plates and swinging leversdisposed oppositely of the sides of said slide member 1, andlongitudinally spaced from each other as indicated more particularly inFig. 1.

The said arrangement provides an. ideal lifting means for the table topinasmuch as in the lifting movement the lever moves downwardly as itswings and thus a minimum impedance is given'to the movement of thelever to the vertical, the weight of the top on the lever tending tomove it downwardly the pins 10 and 12 to retract from the levers andcause them to drop from their slight elevation to their lowermost pointwhereupon top 2 will drop to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the leaves6 and 7 may be moved into a cam plate having an inclined cam surface.and a reversely inclined slot, a lever having a surface in contact withsaid cam surface and having a member fitted in said slot, in combinationwith means for actuating said lever, whereby the lever is acted upon bythe cam surface and slot to have a combined endwise and swingingmovement. 2. A slide combination for automatic extensible tablescomprising a centre slide member, outer slide members, rack and piniondevices connecting the outer slide members, and means for raising atable top comprising a contact device carried-by one slide member, a camplate carried by a second slide member, a bifurcated lever embracing thecam plate and having a stud'entering a slot formed in the cam plate anda contact member engaging the upper surface of the cam plate, as and forthe purpose set forth. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' JOSEPH COOPER.

as the cam surface of the plate acting upon roller 16tends to swing thelever vertically, through the pressure of the pin which engages an edgeof the lever.

As hereinbefore stated, when moving from contracted closed position,shown in Fig. 1, to extended closed position, shown in Fig. 3, it isunnecessary to move the outer leaves beyond the point where feet 8 dropin the clearance spaces provided at the ends of the slides land 5, andthe pins 10 and 12 come in contact with the levers 11 and 13 but do notsubstantially raise them. In other words, the outward movement of theleaves 6 and 7 may be only that shown in Fig. 2 wherein the top liesinthe position shown in full lines. 'An inward movement of the leaveswill cause its

